Lesson Topic: Using fact and opinion in an exposition
Learning Area(s): Environments
Lesson Focus: Students will have the opportunity to explore their knowledge of the structural features of an exposition. Students will also have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the effectiveness of fact and opinion statements and how they can be used persuasively to write an exposition.
Outcomes and Indicators: HSIE - Environments ENS2.6: Describes people's interactions with environments and identifies responsible ways of interacting with environments. - Identifies the impact of plastic bags on the environment - Develops an argument that supports the statement ‘NSW should say NO to plastic bags’ English - Talking and Listening TS2.2: Interacts effectively in groups and pairs, adopting a range of roles, uses a variety of media and uses various listening strategies for different situations. - Participates in small group discussion in relation to the structural features of an exposition - Participates in small group discussion in relation to the effectiveness of fact and opinion in the development of a persuasive argument English - Writing WS2.13: Discusses how own texts are adjusted to relate to different readers, how they develop the subject matter and how they serve a wide variety of purposes. - Identifies the purpose of an exposition - Explains how factual and opinion statements can persuade a reader
Explain that to start the lesson, students will be shown a text without the title (an exposition - which would have been previously covered in class - See Appendix 4.1). They are to identify the text type. Ask them to identify the structural features of the text. Possible questions: What do you think the purpose of this text is? What do you think the author is trying to persuade the reader to believe? Ask the students what type of statements are usually more effective in developing a persuasive argument and why (i.e. factual or opinion).
Students will be sitting on the floor, facing the IWB. When asked, students will identify the text type of shown text. One student at a time can highlight the structural features on the IWB (i.e. introduction/ background of topic, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position).
10 minutes
- IWB - Exposition sample
Teachingstrategy/Learning Activity
Explain that students will break into their sustainability groups and will be receiving an adapted version of an exposition titled Plastic Bags and Marine Litter (see Appendix 4.2). Their task is to identify the introduction, the position taken, the supporting argument and the reinforcement of the argument. Possible question: How did you know that is the…? (introduction/ background of topic, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position) Once this is completed, each group is required to identify four arguments presented in this text and the details that support the argument. Ask students to state whether the argument support is factual or opinion and their effectiveness. Possible questions: How did you decide that was an argument? How is that argument supported? What type of statements does the author use? How does this affect the reader?
Activity 1: Students remain seated where they are until the teacher has finished explaining the task. Students then form their sustainability groups and spread out around the room to work. students can highlight each element of the exposition on the text. Students will record the chosen arguments on the worksheet provided (see Appendix 4.3).
Give each group a blank table (from previous activity - See Appendix 4.3) and ask them to brainstorm four arguments that they could use for their jointly constructed exposition. If time permits ask them to record some fact and opinion support for their arguments. Possible questions: What points do you want to address? What do you know a lot about? Why will you use(a specific fact or opinion)to support your arguments?
Activity 2: Students remain where they are and in their sustainability groups.
15 minutes
- Blank argument table
Concluding strategy
Ask students to move to the floor and explain that each group is to choose a spokesperson to share one argument that their group has developed and what support they will have for this argument. Possible question: Why will you use(a specific fact or opinion)as your support?
Students will move to the floor. Each spokesperson will share their groups argument when they are asked.
5 minutes
- Argument tables
Assessment: Work samples: The completed worksheets from the first activity will be collected. Students will be assessed on their ability to identify the structural features of an exposition as well as whether they were able to identify statements based on fact and statements based on opinion. The argument tables from the second table can also be collected to assess students ability to construct an argument and give a brief outline of how they would support it.
Observations: Throughout this lesson, observations will be made to determine whether students work effectively in their sustainability groups. Also whether students are able to identify the aspects that make an exposition successful.
Any special considerations: Students who have trouble writing should be given a role within the group that supports their strengths (such as reading). Students who may learn more effectively through visuals should be considered (perhaps using colour to identify features or symbols to identify fact and opinion). Students who may have trouble reading can be supported perhaps through a recorded version of the text used in the first activity.
Self-reflection - Were students able to meet the intended English and HSIE outcomes? If not, what improvements could be made for the future?
- Were the activities appropriate for the intended outcomes? If not, what improvements could be made for the future?
- Do students understand the difference between fact and opinion?
- Do students understand how a persuasive text can be structured? - Have students been provided with sufficient knowledge to construct an exposition that supports the statement ‘NSW should say NO to plastic bags’?
- Were the resources appropriate to achieve the intended outcomes?
Students will have the opportunity to explore their knowledge of the structural features of an exposition. Students will also have the opportunity to develop an understanding of the effectiveness of fact and opinion statements and how they can be used persuasively to write an exposition.
HSIE - Environments
ENS2.6: Describes people's interactions with environments and identifies responsible ways of interacting with environments.
- Identifies the impact of plastic bags on the environment
- Develops an argument that supports the statement ‘NSW should say NO to plastic bags’
English - Talking and Listening
TS2.2: Interacts effectively in groups and pairs, adopting a range of roles, uses a variety of media and uses various listening strategies for different situations.
- Participates in small group discussion in relation to the structural features of an exposition
- Participates in small group discussion in relation to the effectiveness of fact and opinion in the development of a persuasive argument
English - Writing
WS2.13: Discusses how own texts are adjusted to relate to different readers, how they develop the subject matter and how they serve a wide variety of purposes.
- Identifies the purpose of an exposition
- Explains how factual and opinion statements can persuade a reader
- Interactive Whiteboard (IWB)
- Opinion piece (adapted from http://www.cleanup.org.au/au/NewsandMedia/ian-kiernan--s-opinion-piece---plastic-bags-and-marine-debris.html)
- Sample exposition (adapted from http://www.cleanup.org.au/PDF/au/cua_plastic_bags_fact_sheet.pdf)
- Exposition worksheets
- Blank argument table
Possible questions: What do you think the purpose of this text is? What do you think the author is trying to persuade the reader to believe?
Ask the students what type of statements are usually more effective in developing a persuasive argument and why (i.e. factual or opinion).
One student at a time can highlight the structural features on the IWB (i.e. introduction/ background of topic, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position).
- Exposition sample
Possible question: How did you know that is the…? (introduction/ background of topic, statement of position, series of arguments and reinforcement of position)
Once this is completed, each group is required to identify four arguments presented in this text and the details that support the argument. Ask students to state whether the argument support is factual or opinion and their effectiveness.
Possible questions: How did you decide that was an argument? How is that argument supported? What type of statements does the author use? How does this affect the reader?
Students will record the chosen arguments on the worksheet provided (see Appendix 4.3).
.
- Worksheets
Possible questions: What points do you want to address? What do you know a lot about? Why will you use (a specific fact or opinion) to support your arguments?
Possible question: Why will you use(a specific fact or opinion)as your support?
Work samples: The completed worksheets from the first activity will be collected. Students will be assessed on their ability to identify the structural features of an exposition as well as whether they were able to identify statements based on fact and statements based on opinion. The argument tables from the second table can also be collected to assess students ability to construct an argument and give a brief outline of how they would support it.
Observations: Throughout this lesson, observations will be made to determine whether students work effectively in their sustainability groups. Also whether students are able to identify the aspects that make an exposition successful.
Students who have trouble writing should be given a role within the group that supports their strengths (such as reading). Students who may learn more effectively through visuals should be considered (perhaps using colour to identify features or symbols to identify fact and opinion). Students who may have trouble reading can be supported perhaps through a recorded version of the text used in the first activity.
- Were students able to meet the intended English and HSIE outcomes? If not, what improvements could be made for the future?
- Were the activities appropriate for the intended outcomes? If not, what improvements could be made for the future?
- Do students understand the difference between fact and opinion?
- Do students understand how a persuasive text can be structured?
- Have students been provided with sufficient knowledge to construct an exposition that supports the statement ‘NSW should say NO to plastic bags’?
- Were the resources appropriate to achieve the intended outcomes?